Everything Changes
by savingthestars
Summary: Harry returns from America after a trial period at a university there. Will he choose to stay or go? Will one blonde woman help make his decision? Everything changes, and it's not always the way we want things to happen. A re-write of my old story.


_Here's a quick one shot I wrote about two years ago, I've done a little bit of editing, changing a few things and including a little bit more detail in places. _

_It's set after Harry returns from America after a trial period there whilst contemplating that job offer he was given. Will he choose to stay or go? Will one blonde haired woman help make his decision for him?_

Read and review please... :) I love to know that people think!

Enjoy,  
Much love x

**Everything Changes: A Silent Witness One Shot.**

Harry Cunningham had just got back to the lab after a 6-month trial period at a university in America. He'd hated it. It was the job, because that was a once in a lifetime opportunity and if he was honest he knew he was stupid by choosing to turn it down all for once person and the people he worked alongside were friendly and welcoming. However, they weren't the same as the colleagues he had here; they were like family and he couldn't see him forming those sorts of ties with anyone over there. Most of all, he couldn't see any of them replacing Nikki Alexander.

He'd missed her so much, and although they'd argued about him choosing to go over and do a trial period she'd still come to see him off at the airport. She'd hugged him and cried whilst telling him he better not forget her. Little did she know, he could never forget her. She was everything he'd ever wished for in a woman, she was beautiful, she was caring and she understood him better than anyone else.

He could hear voices now, coming towards the lab. One male, one female, both instantly recognisable. The door opened and they walked inside, Harry looked at them. Nikki's blonde hair fell just below her shoulders; she was wearing a pair of dark skinny jeans with a low cut red top. She had a pair of black designer boots on that clicked as she walked towards him. Leo wore a pair of black trousers and a white shirt that looked like it had never seen an iron. Neither one of them noticed him until he gave a slight cough, drawing their attention to him.

''Harry!'' Leo stuttered before composing himself. ''Its nice to see you.''

He smiled.

Nikki however looked like she had seen a ghost. Her normally rosy cheeks had turned pale. She just stood staring at him for a moment blinking repeatedly.

"Something in your eye Niks?" He joked.

"Sorry, just, I can't believe you're here…'' She said her soft accent making him want to melt, how he'd missed this feeling, the tingling sensation that ran down his spine whenever she spoke to him. She walked towards him and reaching up to embrace him.

Hours had passed since they walked in to the lab and Harry found himself sat at his old desk waiting for them. He had hardly seen Nikki all day and whenever he had been graced with her presence she'd seemed fidgety and eager to get away. Something had changed between them, and he couldn't understand what it was. He'd been away, but there relationship couldn't have been altered that much. They had spoken to each other over the phone, they'd emailed, and as far as he knew they'd still told each other everything. So what was wrong?

He still hadn't noticed.  
Nikki knew he would eventually. She'd have to tell him at some point. The trouble was, she didn't know how, they'd always told each other everything. He hadn't been here. That was the problem, had he been here then he'd understand why she'd done it. She laughed inwardly. Had he been here it wouldn't have even happened!

Subconsciously she'd walked to the door of Leo's office. She knocked. Leo always had the best advice; he was like a father to Nikki. He'd given her away at her wedding to Danny.

''Come in.'' She heard him call.

''Hey Leo.'' She said, sitting in the cushioned red chair in front of his desk.

''You don't know what to do.'' He asked. ''Now Harry's back?''

Nikki sighed; he always knew how she felt before she did. He knew how she felt about Harry and about Daniel. ''Yeah.''

Leo looked at her, and then sighed. ''I suppose I always knew something like this would happen if Harry came back.''

''I just don't know how to tell him.'' She looked at her shoes.

''You'll have to though.'' Leo said.

Nikki looked at him. ''I know.'' Then her eyes flicked to a picture of the three of them just before Harry had left for the states, they'd been out for a meal, back then Nikki was so sure Harry was the one she wanted to spend her life wish, Then she'd met Dan. He'd helped them out while Harry had been away.

''Do we even know if he's staying for definite?'' She asked, desperately seeking for a way out of her current situation, for something that would mean she wouldn't have to inform him that in the six months he had been gone she had married another man.

''He did say he didn't enjoy it.'' Leo said, looking at the photo Nikki had just been staring at.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

''Come in.'' Leo shouted.

''Hi Leo, Oh… Hi Niks' It was Harry.

''I take it you've made a decision about….'' Leo started.

Harry smiled. ''Yep, and you know how much I love you guys. I'm really sorry.'' Leo looked at the floor. ''But you're going to have to put up with me.''

''What?'' Leo looked shocked.

Nikki went pale. ''Your staying.''

Harry grinned. ''Yeah.'' Then he saw her face. ''Something wrong.''

''No, just surprised.'' She smiled.

Then Harry's eyes fell on her hand, specifically her left hand. ''Oh.''

Nikki looked at Harry, then at her hand. ''Harry… I…''

''Who's the lucky guy then?'' He asked, looking away so that she couldn't see the hurt look in his eyes.

''Err. Dan.'' She said, she hated seeing him like this, even though he'd tried to hide it she'd seen the pain in his eyes as he'd asked her who she had gotten married too. She knew it would be like this; she'd hidden the fact that she'd got married from her best friend for goodness sake! What had ever made her think that was a good idea?

''Okay'' He said slowly, "How'd you meet him?"

How could she have gotten married with out telling him? They were supposedly best friends; he hadn't been gone 6 months, had she known him then? Did he know him?

''He…'' Nikki faltered. What was she supposed to tell him? That she'd married his replacement?

''He helped out while you were away, came in when we had lots of cases, used to work in the states.'' Leo said, coming to Nikki's rescue.

Nikki smiled a thank you at him. She couldn't speak; if she did she would start crying and that wouldn't look good.

''Oh… so when do I get to meet this lucky guy then?" He said, hoping that his light-hearted tone didn't sound false.

So that's why she'd stopped emailing, she'd met another guy at work, someone else who understood her job, someone else she could turn to, talk to. Someone who'd come in to replace him professionally, someone who'd ended up replacing him in more ways that one.

This changed things; he'd have to reconsider his decision to stay. The only reason he contemplated staying was Nikki. She meant the world to him, but clearly, he'd miss interpreted the signs before he left for America. Clearly she'd never felt the same way. Even if she ever had, it was meaningless now; he'd missed his chance. She was gone. Slipped from his reach. Things had changed, they always did and rarely for the best where Harry was concerned.

Now he'd have to re-think his options.

Was it time to say goodbye?


End file.
